CENTRAL AND COASTAL REGION

NEWSLETTER

Editor Mary Wallace region website and I look forward to JOTA/JOTI Nov Edition 3/2010 next year.

Calendar of Events As always, if you have 12th Dec Region Team Xmas Party The Point any IT needs

Tavern, Midge Point please contact me as I am always willing to assist where possible. I am always available via e-mail (see Jota/Joti “contact us” on the regional website). The 53nd Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) and the th 14 Jamboree On The Internet (JOTI) was held on Dougal McWhinney the 16-17 October. The region event (held at Region Leader – YPS Information Technology Rowallan Park) had around 60 youth members Central & Coastal Region and leaders attended.

JOTA had 2 radios in operation as well as Aquatastics 2010

Echolink. JOTA was only operating on Saturday. th Due to very noisy conditions on the day we only On Saturday 13 November the Annual Central had a few contacts (mostly in Australia). and Coastal Region Scouting Aquatastics Carnival was held at the Calen District State College Pool. JOTI had around 10 PCs in operation using Internet Chat Relay (IRC) to communicate to other Very enthusiastic teams of Joeys Scouts, Cub Scouts/Guides/Leaders. It started slowly on Scouts, Scouts and Venturers competed for the Saturday and we were only getting a few contacts Golden Snorkel Award. Mackay City Central in Australia. However by Saturday afternoon, Group was this year’s winner with a fine JOTI was starting to liven up and was on fire late performance by their Joey Mob. Saturday evening early Sunday. During the weekend a couple of Scouts exchanged e-mail The leaders and youth members were dressed in addresses to start pen pal contacts as part of the their team colours along with a Christmas flavour World Scouting proficiency badge. to the event.

Overall we made around 133 contacts across 30 The afternoon was packed with fun activities for countries (not as good as last year but hope to all to enjoy such as: freestyle races, any other improve this number next year). stroke races, surf ball relays, tube relays, collect a ping pong ball, decorate the Christmas tree relay, Across the weekend the world JOTA-JOTI and heave the lifeline relays. organisers had a bingo game running call “JAMPUZ”. You had to collect the JID codes Mary Wallace from the contacts and the last 2 numbers were used as numbers for the bingo card. We had 5 pairs of numbers but not enough to make bingo (needed 6 numbers).

Thanks to all that assisted with the setup, running and deconstruction of the JOTA and JOTI bases. I encourage you to have a look at the photos on the Operation Rainbow Bird Scouts stopped on a grassy knoll beside the lagoon and produced a landscape sketch. Ella presented 18 Central and Coastal Region Scouts from an adaptation of the game ‘Cat and Mouse’ as her Bowen, Whitsunday Coast and Moranbah, 2 Jungle Book resource called “Mowgli and Shere leaders and one parent braved the terrain and Khan.” hiked the Whitsunday Great Walk for the Annual Operation Rainbow Bird hike camp. The hike Ella attended a Leadership Course and from Brandy Creek to Airlie Beach is 30 was a Sixer in the Cub Scout Pack. Cub Scout kilometres. Leader Debbie Rutherford said, “Her caring motherly nature and natural leadership qualities The scouts were required to prepare their own saw the welfare of the pack and the leaders taken menus, purchase their own food that was able to care of.” be cooked on a hexamine stove and pack and carry their own back pack which included their food, Assistant Region Commissioner Brian Harvey bedding and tent for an overnight camp. Two litres presented Ella with a letter of congratulations of water was carried by each scout however there from the Queensland Branch Commissioner of were watering points along the way. Cub Scouts, Assistant Cub Lyn Lean presented the Grey Wolf certificate and Cub Scout The scouts who participated in the hike camp Leader Debbie Rutherford presented her with the fulfilled some of the challenges in the award Grey Wolf badge. scheme. Ella has advanced to the Scout Section.

Compiled by Mary Wallace from information supplied by Tim Johnson, Region Leader Scouts Compiled by Mary Wallace from information supplied by Cub Scout Leader Debbie Rutherford.

Grey Wolf Award Banksia Group Grey Wolf Award Mky City Central Group Four Cub Scouts from Banksia Scout Group were Cub Scout Ella Wright of Mackay City Central recently presented with their Grey Wolf Awards, Scout Group was recently presented with her Grey the highest award in the Cub Scout Section. Wolf Award, the highest award in the Cub Scout Section. To complete the tasks to achieve the award, Yasmin Bishop, Rianne Boyce, Natalie Bryiell and To achieve the Grey Wolf Award Ella gained the Daniel Andrews all participated in a hike at Cape Gold Boomerang, and other requirements, Hillsborough and all made different games, based including a Cub Scout Pack ramble through the on the Jungle Book theme, to present to their cub Botanic Gardens. She used a map provided by the scout pack. They also achieved the Gold Botanic Garden staff to plan her walk, and Boomerang, and a variety of interest badges. obtained a questionnaire asking participants to identify local plants used by the aboriginals and As a sixer or second in their cub scout pack these complete questions about their uses. The Cub youth members have been a positive influence to the other cub scouts and were willing to help the Last Saturday night we ran the car park for the leaders in any way they could. They have now all boxing and made $300 and next week we have to linked to the scout section at Banksia Group. volunteer at the 000 ball as waiters etc. We will be getting a portion of the takings on the night. We haven't done much fundraising this year I think we exhausted it last year for the Jamboree and as I have so few numbers I don't have adults etc to run my usual successful fundraisers.

One scout and his mum joined the other groups in the Rainbow bird hike and loved it. They said the group of youth were fun and friendly and it was great that we could join in - with only two scouts left it is great when they join other groups for a change in company etc.

I would like to thank Lesley (Bowen group) and Whitsunday Scout Group Lloyd (Proserpine group) for allowing our scouts to join in on some of their activities during the The Whitsunday Coast Cub Scouts & Scouts year. They really wanted to continue this year recently went on a camp to Hook Island (Treasure after the Jamboree and it is so hard trying to find Island)- The cub scouts caught a barge over to the activities for two youth to do. island in which we flew the jolly roger and the pirates took over. On arrival at 8am we headed That's it for another year almost hope everyone for the camp site and pitched the tents. The has a merry Christmas and Great New Year. scouts sailed over and arrived at about 1pm. The first activity was snorkeling with the fish and Kathy Ball looking at the beautiful coral, followed by morning Whitsunday Coast Scout Group tea and then off on a bush trek to go and do some fishing. Lunch was ready on their return. While PS November Edition of Encompass has an they were eating the scouts set a compass trail for excellent report on Cuborree written by Kathy a treasure hunt. The cub scouts made shelters Ball. and played lots of games. The scouts helped entertaining the cub scouts and also had fun. Banksia VenturerScouts

The return boat was 8am again the next morning Wow what a busy couple of months starting with so up bright and early to cart all the gear back to Q Venture in the June School holidays at the Gold the beach and have a quick breakfast. That's the Coast where we visited three worlds went fishing only problem with islands you have to rely on the or became Country Bumpkins or escaped to a tides. It would have been great to have another full Island. We all had a ball. It was well worth the day there. cost and travel. If you ever get the opportunity you

should definitely attend. I recommend Hook Island to those that want to do something a bit different-Contact me for more Later we had an initiative course at Kinchant Dam information regarding prices etc. where five venturer scouts took part in several

different activities showing their initiative. The Two cub scouts and one scout attended Jota Joti rafts were a sight and I am amazed at the different and then the scout headed off with us and did some ways to achieve the same outcomes. geocaching in Mackay, there was only one that we couldn't find. I am not sure if the Mackay groups Josh Brzozowski travelled to Brisbane to receive are aware but there are heaps of geocaching his Certificate at Government House. locations in Mackay we only covered about a third of them. We wanted to go to movies and do We went caving at the caves just north of activities we don't have in Airlie. Rockhampton with Peter Wilson and his daughter

Tina, who is a Rockhampton Venturer Scout. We pleased to report they did a magnificent job while stayed at Seeonee Park and had a great time I stood back and watched – best camp I've been to mastering one of Docs Card games. in years!!! (Though Scoutfest still rates very October flashed past and Jota – Joti was ready for highly). They even managed camp-oven Apricot us to attend the Venturer Scouts challenged Chicken and Rice on Friday night as the rain came themselves to add to the tradition of Pizza for down. Yes- cooked to perfection outside in the dinner and added a chill out zone complete with rain. (Not sure our Scouts would have managed lounges and they also put up gadgets and that!) Also great was that the Cub Scouts and Joey gateways. They tried to put up a Queenslander but Scouts from both groups mixed and mingled with it needed some more practice to be successful. ease from the moment they came through the gate. Thanks must go to Lower Burdekin Group for Next on the venturer scout horizon is Aquatastic being such easy to please guests. then the CC Venture at Kinchant Dam. The venturer scouts have invited the older scouts to Having visitors in our midst reminds us of the attend and join in the annual event. things for which we should be grateful. We don’t always see that we have a great den but our There have been numerous tapes earned and visitors constantly pointed out good things about it several venturer scouts are receiving their and now we can look at it with fresh eyes and until Venturer Scout Awards, and looking to the next next week, will be content with our lot. Likewise challenge presented to them. our hometown becomes commonplace to us but to visitors, it is a town offering things that others We are finishing the year with a Camp at the envy. Our Cub Scouts are looking forward to Whitsunday Coast Den. going north next July as they have been promised the chance to camp at the "drive-in" movies where Joann Brzozowski movies are still shown – that will be something Venturer Scout Leader, Banksia Group very different for Bowen Cub Scouts.

Our Scout troop has been steadily growing in numbers all year and now has up to twenty regularly attending. Whilst the numbers are good, the down side is the extra energy it takes to plan and run meetings to cater to the larger group. Kaa (Joe) has been a top ASL but sadly has given notice he will not be with us next year. That will leave Brolga on her own again but maybe not with twenty as we are expecting to lose a few as they move into high school – something we have to deal with each year.

By year's end, our Scouts will have had eleven Q Venture Campsite nights under canvas and our Cub Scouts nine

nights out. I have no doubt this is what is keeping Bowen Scout Group the numbers growing but by this time of the year, Leader energy levels are dropping as the humidity I have just returned home from our den where our is rising. I think we need to circulate a list of Cub Scouts have been playing host to Lower creative ways to keep our packs and troops having Burdekin Joey Scouts and Cub Scouts for a two- fun with minimal Leader effort as we run down night sleepover. Eleven youth and six adults drove these last few weeks to end of year. Do you have into Bowen on Friday night from Home Hill and any great ideas to share that don’t need transport Ayr and have now returned home with smiles on arranged, permission slips or money? their faces. I am very proud of our two Cub Scout Leaders – Raksha (Sarah) & Chil (Kitt), for all We have been trying "Theme nights" where each their effort programming, planning and patrol plans the programme for a night around a purchasing. Many of us know how stressful it can theme, with mixed success. All patrols want to be when planning combined activities when so choose free dress, shop bought party food and much is unknown about the other group. I am very music that we oldies think is bordering on inappropriate. The books tell me that at first you The History of the Gilwell Scarf and Wood have to take baby steps… Beads Brolga Group Leader, Bowen Scout Group The : In itself the badge is valueless; two pieces of wood hung on the ends of Photos from Aquatastics a bootlace; but, treasured by the aged, coveted by the young and worn with just pride by those of middle years! Each piece of the Wood Badge insignia, the Beads, Bootlace, Scarf and has its own story. The Beads: In 1887, BP was posted to Cape Town and seconded as Aide-de-Camp to his uncle, General H A Smythe, General Officer commanding South Africa. Shortly after his arrival at the Cape, trouble broke out with the Zulu warriors led by their chief Dinizulu. On state occasions, Dinizulu wore a necklace some 10 to 12 feet in length consisting of over a thousand beads, ranging in size from tiny emblems to others four inches in length. It was considered sacred by the warriors and there was a belief that if it was ever captured all resistance by the natives would cease. The necklace was kept in a cave high on a mountain and guarded night and day. B-P heard of this and hoped that he would capture Dinizulu and acquire the necklace. It did come to pass and his wish was fulfilled and B-P took the necklace home to England where it was kept with his other military souvenirs. It was over 30 years before he made further use of it. The Leather Lace: The next stage of our story goes to Mafeking where, in the book ‘The Wolf That Never Sleeps’, B-P relates the incident where, after many months of siege, one day he was feeling very despondent, when an old native Zulu ‘boy’ of high caste gave him a leather thong. This thong, as was the custom, had been placed around the old man’s neck at birth to ward off evil spirits and so bring the wearer good luck. The story further relates that Mafeking was relieved soon after and the leather thong joined B-P’s souvenirs. In 1919 the first Scouters’ training course was held at Gilwell, at the completion of which B-P wondered what to give the Scouters to signify passing the course. He went home and while rummaging through his bags came across Dinizulu’s necklace. A few days later he invited all those who had attended the course to come to dinner at the Scout Restaurant in Buckingham Palace Road. He presented each of the members with two beads from the necklace and instructed each to go out, buy a bootlace, tie a bead at each end and hang it around his neck. (B-P’s writings clearly indicate that his original intention was to wear the thong was demonstrated on Wood Badge courses. A and beads around the hat, but he changed his main piece of equipment was a length of leather mind and finally decided it was to be worn around thong and it was found that a driving belt from a the neck.) Thus the Wood Badge came into being. treadle Singer sewing machine supplied the best Some hundreds of the beads of reasonable size required object. were used for presentation to those who completed B-P suggested to the Gilwell Staff that they the early Wood Badge courses. However, it experiment and produce a special scarf slide to go became evident by 1920 that the supply of original with the Gilwell Scarf and Wood Badge. So, using beads wouldn’t last, so replica beads were one of the fire lighting thongs, W (Bill) Shankley, manufactured at Gilwell and have been ever since. who was serving at Gilwell at the time (and later In the early days and in theory today, Leader was Group Leader of 8th Hobart, Tasmania for Trainers who wear four beads on their necklaces many years) produced a two-stranded Turk’s were presented with one original bead but now Head slide which was adopted as the ‘official this only happens if a former Leader Trainer woggle’. returns his/her beads to Gilwell. An Assistant In 1943 the Camp Chief was anxious that there Leader Trainer wears three beads on his/her should be some badge to denote completion of necklace. various parts of the Wood Badge training. It The Camp Chief of Gilwell Park in England wears seemed logical to present some part of the Wood a necklace of six original beads which B-P first Badge insignia on completion of the Preliminary presented to Sir Percy Everett as a tribute for his Course, now replaced by Basic Level Training. So help in launching Scouting and help at the first in 1943 the Gilwell Woggle was awarded. The Scout Camp at Brownsea Island in 1907. scarf and beads are presented on completion of Sir Percy presented the necklace to the Wood Badge training. and suggested that it be worn as the badge of office of the Camp Chief of Gilwell Park. It is a Congratulations to Group Leader Kathy Ball on matter of history that the first time it was worn by the successful completion of her Wood Badge John Thurman was when he visited Pennant Hills training. Kathy will be presented with her Wood Training Camp, New South Wales in 1949. Badge Scarf, Beads and Parchment in due course. When Wood Badge training was instituted for Cub I take this opportunity on behalf of Bob and Masters in 1921 the Wood Badge as such was not myself, to wish you all a safe and enjoyable used. Instead, the Cub Leader was presented with Festive Season and may peace, good health and a Wolf’s Fang on a leather thong. It was pretty happiness be with you in the New Year. revolting looking and went out of practice in 1924. Until next time, Good Scouting, From 1923 to 1925 a small coloured bead was worn above the knot on the bootlace. These beads, Margaret Hodda yellow, green and red indicated for which section Assistant Region Commissioner of the Movement the Wood Badge was awarded, Training Development i.e. Cub, Scout or Rover. The Scarf: The scarf is officially coloured dove grey (the colour of humility) on the outside Merry Christmas and it is a warm red on the inside to signify warmth of feeling. On the peak of the Gilwell Scarf is a small piece of Maclaren tartan to and a remind us of the fine gesture by Mr deBois Maclaren in providing the original Gilwell Park in England. Happy New Year The material is a registered cloth, which means it cannot be used to any other purpose, nor may it be modified or additions made to it. The Woggle: In 1920 or 1921 the scarf, which had always been tied with a knot, was held together with a scarf slide. So far as is known the name ‘woggle’ was invented by Gidney, the first Camp Chief of Gilwell. In the early days of Scouter Training, fire lighting by friction was very much a novelty and for years